searching [p]

[dino.]

// @Panda1440

>Buckstar<

Exhausted again. How shocking. But this time, it was physical exhaustion, not mental. How long had Buckstar spent looking after his last talk with Iciclepaw? It felt like hours, days even. His pads stung, his legs ached, his- well, his EVERYTHING hurt, pretty much. He'd long left StarClan's version of ThunderClan territory and was beginning to wonder just how far the afterlife stretched. Did it go on forever or was there a point where it just... stopped?

He knew cats had come back from the afterlife. His brother's mate had undeniably done so, even if she had vanished again soon after. So it was possible. It was possible and he wasn't going to stop looking until he found a way, even if it meant scouring the entirety of StarClan and the Dark Forest. He would get back to them. To Iciclepaw, to Eveningstar, to ThunderClan, to all of them- he wasn't done living yet.

A flash of oddly familiar gray fur through the brush caught the corner of his eyes and he paused, brows furrowing and heart jumping, before backpedaling a few steps and stopping once more. He squinted at the figure - at first he'd thought it was Iciclepaw but, no, this was a tom.

Oh, hold on a second... "Gravelblaze..?"

[Panda1440]

The dark grey cat had been searching for Driftsong. It had been so long since he had seen his mate- was she mad? To be fair- her death,, if only I hadn't slipped. Then he would be back with his kit and her, back in ThunderClan hunting. Prey in StarClan was plentiful,,. but it felt wrong- unusually too easy.

Huh. That voice- spinning around, almost getting into a fighting stance when his brain remembered that this was the afterlife. Stars! (that exclamation was also quite strange of use) He had been one of the ones to give a life to the new ThunderClan leader.,, Eveningstar. Last he had seen of the small figure was him running away after contributing the final of the nine lives.

Buckstar's size was still a bit of a surprise nonetheless, but he made an effort to hide it. "Oh- hi,, " Now a small grin was across his maw. "How are you doing?" Gravelblaze inquired curiously. [ @Papaya]

[dino.]

// @Panda1440

>Buckstar<

He couldn't stop a grin of his own from upturning the corners of his mouth. Finally, a familiar face! After moons of seeing no one he knew, this was more than refreshing. "As well as a dead cat can be," he answered wryly, "while being stick in the sky unable to do anything. I hope your time here has been better than mine."

He came a few pawsteps closer, expression softening. "It's good to see you, though. It's... been a while." He wondered if Gravelblaze had been to see Iciclepaw at all, and if he had, wondered if the two spoke often. He himself would visit her dreams more if he could, but that combined with searching would be far too tiring. And besides, when he found a way back to the living world, he could see her all he wanted, so what was a little time away, anyway?

[Panda1440]

Hmm. So it seemed it wasn't only him with challenges once again, even if it was the afterlife. StarClan,, so beautiful yet so ingulfed in mystery. Studying the brown and white closer, Gravelblaze noticed something. Something rather .. odd-

"You look- quite worn down. Is everything alright? And to original question, no- it sadly hasn't been good - although I don't prefer comparison.,," his voice was much more serious than when he was living. The cheerfulness must have vanished into his grave too .. . [ @Papaya]

[dino.]

// @Panda1440

>Buckstar<

The grin faded as Gravelblaze looked him over, and then disappeared completely as the other tom spoke once more. So it was that easy to see, huh? He hadn't done such a great job at hiding it, after all. He searched Gravelblaze's gaze with his own before shrugging and sighing and glancing away. "Well," he muttered, "when you've been scouring the territory of the afterlife for a way to go back to ThunderClan alive, you tend to get a little run down."

The brown and white tom returned his eyes to Gravelblaze, the weight of his exhaustion seeming to shine in their green depths now. "I'm sorry to hear that. I thought StarClan was meant to be a place of rest, but it seems that hasn't been true for either of us." A pause, the smallest sway of his tail, and then, "I don't suppose you know a way to go back?"

[Panda1440]

Interest immediately sparked him at the former leader's words- get back?! Was that even possible? He looked at the ground, a plan forming in the tom's head. ..

"no,, no I don't. But- I would love to help you,, without Driftsong,,,. i don't know who I am." It would work. It had to. Even if StarClan wasn't a good place for Gravelblaze he was sure the starry ranks would make sure only he could get back to his beloved. Only then would it be fair.

[ @Papaya]

[dino.]

// @Panda1440

>Buckstar<

A pang of sadness struck him, and was clearly reflected in his shifting expression. So Gravelblaze hadn't seen his mate at all? That had to wear down on a cat, even a dead one.

And so he straightened his shoulders and forced a more determined expression. "I knew someone who came back. It is possible. I just have to find out how. And I'd love for you to come with me."

He took a step to the left, tilting his head invitingly. "Shall we?"

[Panda1440]

Gravelblaze was amazed that Buckstar really did have proof. Whatever happened of course, he would be the one to come back. He would see Iciclepaw again. Make up for all the times they missed. It would be his return, not the former leaders. "Wow.. let's go then" the tom meowed with a smile.

[ @Papaya]